Interview: Brief Talk with Scott Godlewski

Before we start I have to give a special thanks to Aaron Meyers for tweeting about Copperhead and reminding me I forgot to pick it up all those months ago (and add it to my pull from Previews, which I should have done from the start (what a dick))

It’s no secret if you follow me on Twitter that I really, really enjoy Copperhead. From it’s beautiful covers that actually reflect what’s going on inside to the story that has me hooked with what we have to learn about this town and its people. And the art, I love the art so much. I guess that’s how we got to this interview.

Today I am doing a quickie with Scott Godlewski and I really don’t know what I’m going to ask. So let’s type these questions and see what comes out of it.

Mike Lepine for Comics Bulletin: Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions Scott. I am very new to the interview game so I really appreciate you talking to me. I am always interested in seeing where people came from and I am new to your art, are there any earlier books you worked on that we should check out?

Scott Godlewski: Nothing you should check out. It’s all awful. On my part, I mean. I worked on two books for BOOM! – Codebreakers and Dracula – the Company of Monsters, with Carey Malloy and Daryl Gregory, respectively. My stuff on those books is rubbish. For a couple of years I put together a pulp/adventure anthology called Mysterious Adventure Magazine.

CB: I very much enjoy your work on Copperhead. Your art hits a note with me. I don’t like to talk about artists having similar styles to another artist, but I would like to hear about some of your influences.

SG: I think like everyone my age I started out aping Jim Lee. I learned to draw by copying the cover to STORMWATCH #1 about a hundred times. More recent influences, the ones that still bounce around in my skull when I’m at the table are Kevin Nowlan, Art Adams, Mike Mignola. There’s probably a dozen other guys in there, too, but those are the ones that had and continue to have the most profound influence on how I think about comic art. When I was doing the BOOM! Stuff I was heavily into what Sean Murphy was doing and I was trying to be him instead of me. That’s probably why I hate that older stuff so much. Instead of seeing his strengths and making them my strengths, I just wanted to be him. That’s a terrible idea, kids. Listen to your parents. Be yourself.

CB:Copperhead has a certain feel to it. How much freedom did Jay give you in the designs of the citizens and environment?

SG: I think he had a note about how Hickory should look. I don’t think I got any direction on anything, design-wise. Maybe that would have been a good thing since I hate just about every design in the book. I wish I could have them all back to do again. Especially the Sewells. Jesus, I think they look awful. And that cruiser. I definitely would have gone with something less difficult to put in perspective.

CB: I am super into Copperhead. (No joke!) Is there anything I should worry about? Some stupid teacher going to get killed? I don’t get upset at spoilers.

SG: Everyone dies.

CB: Are you going to be at any cons this summer? Where can people see you out and about? Do you take commissions?

SG: I will be at Phoenix Comicon the last weekend in May. I don’t have plans for any other shows. Paying for travel and room and food and then not making that money back is a gamble I’m not currently willing to make. And I’ve got 3 young kids. Even if I did do well I would drowning in guilt for leaving my wife with those 3 monsters for a weekend. I’m not taking commissions at the moment. I might take pre-show commissions for PHXCC and then maybe a handful in June. I’ll be sure to get the word out when I do.

CB: Thanks again for talking to me Scott, can you let the people know where to find you and what’s coming up for you?

SG: My website works on occasion. I don’t think now is one of those occasions. But it’s scottgodlewski.com. I’ve got a fan page on Facebook, I’m on Twitter and Tumblr as scottygod. I have a DeviantArt gallery at . I’ve got original art for sale at . Links to all of those things are on my blogspot page – scottygod.blogspot.com.

CB: Be sure to follow Scott on Twitter. He is always posting progress shots of Copperhead, And you will want to get a commission when he opens up! You know you can find me on Twitter all the time

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